The WestJet Group today announced Jacqui McGillivray as its Executive Vice-President and Chief People Officer, joining the Group leadership team as of October 7, 2024. With more than 30 years of demonstrated experience transforming global organizations, McGillivray will replace Angela Avery, who announced her retirement earlier this year. Avery will stay on in an advisory capacity to assist with a smooth transition.
“Jacqui brings a wealth of HR and organizational change experience, along with a notable track record of leading results-oriented, multi-disciplinary, and culturally strong teams in unlocking value and sustaining growth,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, WestJet Group Chief Executive Officer. “We are thrilled to welcome Jacqui at this vital time as we look to build on the momentum of our growth strategy. She will be instrumental in further fostering and developing the people and performance centric culture at WestJet. We are deeply appreciative to Angela, who led WestJet through a pivotal recovery period and has established a strong foundation for us to write the next chapter, we wish her all the best in retirement.”
McGillivray is an accomplished executive leader who has served as a trusted advisor to CEOs and Boards. In her most recent role as Executive Vice-President, Chief People and Social Impact Officer at Element Fleet Management, McGillivray was instrumental in the transformation that took the organization to top quartile employee engagement and client retention, while developing a performance culture that placed the company in the top five per cent of companies within the TSX Composite index.
McGillivray’s prior roles include, Executive Vice-President, Safety and Organization Effectiveness at Cenovus Energy, Head of Global Human Resources at Talisman Energy, and Vice-President, HR, Brand & Marketing for the Global Wealth Management division of RBC Royal Bank.
“As a Calgary resident for the past 14 years, I have been closely following WestJet’s journey and recent strategic shift; I am incredibly impressed by the discipline and resolve of the leadership team to solidify WestJet’s longstanding reputation as the home carrier of the West and the leading Canadian value and leisure airline, in service of affordable air travel for Canadians,” said Jacqui McGillivray. “I am thrilled to join this Canadian aviation success story and to play a part in a bright and sustainable future for our guests, our people and the communities we serve.”